Novozymes acquires Organobalance GmbH to strengthen position in microbial solutions

Organobalance GmbH specializes in microbial screening and assay development, and will complement Novozymes’ existing platform with applications across industries.

Novozymes today announces the acquisition of microbial research company Organobalance GmbH for an undisclosed amount. Germany-based Organobalance owns a large collection of microbial strains, some of which date back to the 1920s, and has strong capabilities in microbial screening and assay technology. It specializes in developing natural microbial solutions for customers and partners across a number of industries including food, feed, and animal health.

"Organobalance, our employees and customers will benefit greatly from this move," says Prof. Dr Christine Lang who co-founded Organobalance and will continue as General Manager. "By becoming part of Novozymes, we will have access to a global R&D network and an extensive infrastructure to bring products to market – a clear advantage for us and our customers. When two well-established companies such as Novozymes and Organobalance team up in biological research to confront challenges in technology and society, it benefits people and the wider bioeconomy of Germany."

Similar ambitions and company cultures

Based in Berlin and Flensburg, in Germany, Organobalance has 29 employees and was co-founded in 2001 by Prof. Dr Lang. Following the acquisition, Organobalance will be integrated into Novozymes’ global organization but will continue to be based in Germany so as to benefit from the established biotechnology capabilities of the country’s capital region and the company’s strong ties to German academia, innovation environments, and markets.

“Organobalance and Novozymes possess similar ambitions and company cultures,” says Sebastian Søderberg. “Both companies strongly believe that innovative biological solutions can make a real, positive difference in the world and help tackle many of modern society’s biggest challenges. Together, our solutions fundamentally allow customers to produce more from less, reduce environmental impact, improve health and replace chemicals.”

The acquisition will not impact Novozymes’ financial outlook for 2016.

What are microbes?

Microbials or microbes are microorganisms. These are microscopic living organisms, existing either as one cell or with multiple cells. They are classified into various groups, including fungi (yeasts and molds) and bacteria.
Microbials can produce beneficial compounds such as enzymes or biochemicals, which can be obtained through industrial fermentation, a process by which microbials grow and are able to turn simple inputs such as sugar into more complex molecules. Sometimes, microbials can be the end product, as is the case within the area of biological agriculture.